New Chargers Will Be Blackout-Proof, Says Tesla's Musk

Tesla Motors is building out its supercharger network adding a couple of hundred charging stations by 2015 that will be able to provide power even if the national grid goes down.

The solar-powered supercharger stations will have battery packs for grid storage of power so they'll work "even if there's a zombie apocalypse," CEO Elon Musk said. He then laughed and added, "I can see the headlines now: 'Musk warns of zombie apocalypse.' "

The battery storage capability of the stations was one technological advancement Musk pointed to in explaining the future of Tesla's charging network.

Coast to Coast by Year-End

Starting next month, Tesla will begin a rapid expansion of its supercharger network. It will triple to 24 locations in the U.S. by the end of June with new charging locations in the Pacific Northwest, Texas, Colorado and Illinois.

Then over the next two years Tesla will add another "couple hundred" locations, Musk said.

"The overarching goal here is to give people a sense of total freedom of travel," he said. "We don't want people to feel constrained that because they have an electric car they won't be able to drive where they want and how they want."

That has to change, according to Musk. "We will do whatever it takes to ensure that they have the same sense of freedom," he said.

Charging Time Cut in Half

While Tesla expands its supercharger network, it will also halve the time needed for a Model S quick charge. In just over 20 minutes, the vehicle will receive enough power to drive for three hours. The company is testing the technology and expects to have it in all stations by the end of the summer.

The 20-minute supercharge will allow people on road trips "to stop at normal times," Musk said.

Speaking of road trips, Musk said he plans to take one with his family later this year on which he'll use the expanded supercharger network. The itinerary will include stops he made during a trip he made in college.

"It might end up being like some Chevy Chase movie," Musk said, chuckling at the thought of taking his family to the Grand Canyon, Chicago and New York.